Physics of Microbial Motility
[Cod. H2020-MSCA-ITN-2020 PHYMOT]
Phymot is a European Consortium
of Universities, Research institutes and industrial Partners located in
Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the
United Kingdom.
From the largest animals to the smallest
single-cell organisms, motility is a fundamental characteristic of life.
Cell swimming, in particular, underpins a wide range of fundamental
biological phenomena, including microbial grazing that fuels the base of
the food webs, inter-microbial communication, animal reproduction, and
parasitic infection—including severe diseases like malaria
trypanosomiasis. Motile microorganisms are among the most important
life-forms on earth, not only because of their abundance, but also
because of their vital functions, e.g., in symbiosis with mammals or in
ecosystems. Unravelling the basic principles of their propulsion
mechanisms is essential for the development of novel strategies in the
treatment of diseases, to understand microbial transport like the
migration of marine phytoplankton in aquatic environments, and
ultimately to open avenues for control of biological systems and the
design of artificial nanomachines.
PHYMOT’s broad scientific
objective is to understand the physics of cell motility, from single
cells to collective behavior. Research on cell motility is flourishing,
driven by new experimental, theoretical, and numerical tools from
mathematics, engineering, and physics. Within PHYMOT, young researchers
will be trained at the interface between physics, biology, and
engineering to face core challenges of a modern society such as food
production, disease treatment strategies, sustainable and ecological
development.
Duración
2021-2025
Grupo de Investigación
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